The girl

Outer characterisation

The author makes little reference to the girl’s outer characterisation in the fairy tale. Throughout the tale, she is referred to as “the girl”, which means that she is young and that she has not fully developed into a woman.

We do not know much about her life, except that her mother died and her father married a woman who treats the girl poorly. The reason for this treatment is that the girl is more beautiful than her stepmother: “And her stepmother hated her because she was more beautiful than herself, and she was very cruel to her. She used to make her do all the servant’s work, and never let her have any peace.” (ll. 3-5).

Inner characterisation

The girl’s inner characterisation is constructed through her actions and language.

Initially, we are told that the stepmother makes the girl do servant’s work. We are never told that the girl fights this in any way, so we can assume that she is obedient and listens to her stepmother.

This is emphasised by the fact that she takes on the quest given by her stepmother – to find the Well of the World’s End and bring ba...